2026-03-05- KSR - Hour 1

Summary

---

Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 1

Date: March 5, 2026
Host: Matt Jones
Location: Live from Matt Jones' house in Middlesboro, KY
Guests/Crew: Ryan, Drew, Mario, Shannon, and Larry Blondell

---

Episode Overview

This episode of KSR brings listeners a special broadcast from Matt Jones’ family home in Middlesboro, Kentucky. The hour bubbles over with hometown stories, local Eastern Kentucky basketball lore, family moments—including a rare appearance by Matt's father, Larry Blondell—plus lively discussion and concern over Kentucky basketball’s postseason prospects. The camaraderie is high and the tone is personal, warm, and comedic, balancing sports analysis with familial nostalgia.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Broadcasting from Hometown & Family Moments

• Location & Hospitality:
  The crew is broadcasting from Matt’s house, enjoying his mom’s “legendary” breakfast, including her famed breakfast casserole and a new hit, French toast casserole.
  • “Your mom made breakfast and it may be the best breakfast I have ever had.” – Matt Jones (03:19)
• Recipe Sharing:
  Listeners are promised the coveted French toast recipe will be posted—no family secrets withheld.
• Introducing Middlesboro:
  Mario, making his first trip, is introduced to local trademarks like Kroger, “crater city” lore (the town being in a meteor-made crater), local billboards such as the “ugly baby face” ads, and the region’s basketball passion.

2. Middlesboro & 13th Region Basketball Lore

• Meteor Crater Backstory:
  The group humorously debates the origins of Middlesboro’s crater.
  • “A meteor fell from the sky and created a crater. And there Middlesbrough was built in this hole…” – Matt Jones (05:37)
• High School Basketball Fandom:
  The 13th region basketball tournament is highlighted as “the center of sports media,” with seven radio broadcasts for a Bell County vs. Clay County game.
  • “No one is more famous than Ryan at a high school basketball tournament.” – Matt Jones (07:56)
• Small-Town Celebrity:
  Ryan, former sports broadcaster, is swarmed by local fans, nostalgically recounting his TV days and his impact on high school sports coverage.

3. Family Spotlight: Larry Blondell’s On-Air Debut

[13:17-15:42]

• Health Update:
  Matt’s father Larry speaks on air for the first time, sharing gratitude after positive CT scan news and the outpouring of prayers and support from listeners.
  • “I appreciate all of the good thoughts and especially all of the prayers...I got a good report here...from a CT scan...so I’m just doing great.” – Larry Blondell (13:49)
• Local Basketball Connection:
  Larry roots for UK’s Trent Noah, proud that he’s “one of us” from Harlan.
• Favorite Family Story:
  Matt and Larry recall a classic “dad embarrassing son” tale about hoodie strings in high school.

4. Kentucky Basketball SEC Tournament Scenarios

[20:46-28:01]

• Seeding Frustrations:
  Kentucky’s seeding for the SEC tournament could range from 4th to 10th, with the real possibility of playing on opening Wednesday for the first time—a “truly embarrassing” prospect.
  • “Just the sentence that Kentucky could be the 10 seed in the SEC tournament honestly makes me want to throw up.” – Shannon (21:30)
• If/Then Scenarios:
  If Kentucky beats Florida and gets help, they may secure a top-four seed; otherwise, the 10-seed and a rough path through LSU, Texas/Vandy, and Alabama loom.
• Biggest Regret:
  The home loss to Georgia is highlighted as the game “that will cost us,” potentially triggering Kentucky’s poor seeding.
• Depth & Injuries Discussion:
  The hosts debate the role injuries have played in Kentucky’s inconsistency. Aberdeen, filling in at point guard, is praised, but the consensus is the team’s issues go beyond injuries—mainly lack of consistent scoring/defending.

5. Fan Questions, Community, & More Basketball Talk

• Fan Connection:
  A listener identifies as a former student of Larry’s at Butler High, lauding him as a tough (i.e., “great”) teacher.
• Best 13th Region Players of All Time
  • Richie Farmer
  • Wawa Jones
  • Charles Thomas
  • Reed Sheppard
  • Trent Noah
• 13th Region State Champions:
  Clay County, South Laurel are noted as schools with state titles; Bell County boldly predicted for a 2029 win by a local dad.

6. Listener Calls & Kentucky Basketball Coaching Critique

• Coaching Scrutiny:
  Callers debate Coach Pope’s substitution patterns, in-game adjustments, and the effect of injuries.
  • “Very inconsistent, beat Kansas, came home and got beat by nobody. That’s kind of what he does here. Very inconsistent.” – Rob (31:36)
• Year-in-Review Philosophy:
  Hosts and callers agree that March success (NCAA tournament) outweighs regular season woes—a Final Four run erases most criticism.
  • “If you went on a run, I don’t think anybody would go, well, you lost to Missouri at home...” – Matt Jones (39:58)

7. Community & Culture Shoutouts

• Magazine Feature:
  A listener points out an article on Matt and KSR in Kentucky Monthly, to the amusement of the hosts who joke about the brevity of their quoted contributions.
• Home & Family:
  The crew's rapport maintains a vein of small-town humility and playfulness—celebrating local culture, local media, local breakfast.

---

Memorable Quotes

• “Your mom made breakfast and it may be the best breakfast I have ever had.” — Matt Jones (03:19)
• “No one is more famous than Ryan at a high school basketball tournament.” — Matt Jones (07:56)
• “I appreciate all of the good thoughts and especially all of the prayers...I got a good report here...from a CT scan...so I’m just doing great.” — Larry Blondell (13:49)
• “Just the sentence that Kentucky could be the 10 seed in the SEC tournament honestly makes me want to throw up.” — Shannon (21:30)
• “Is your little photo on the front, you and the cowboy hat?” — Shannon, about the Kentucky Monthly article (45:18)
• “If you want to run for office, you need to find your way on the 13th region stream. They’re not gonna get more publicity than that.” — Matt Jones (10:21)
• “That’s kind of what he [Coach Pope] does here. Very inconsistent.” — Rob, caller (31:36)
• “If you went on a run, I don’t think anybody would go, well, you lost to Missouri at home...” — Matt Jones (39:58)

---

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• Legendary breakfast/Introduction in Middlesboro
  • 02:36–04:57
• Middlesboro meteor crater back-and-forth
  • 05:06–06:46
• 13th region tournament and Ryan’s fame
  • 07:43–09:21
• Family segment / Larry Blondell’s first on-air appearance
  • 13:17–15:42
• Kentucky basketball SEC tournament seeding breakdown
  • 20:46–24:53
• Coach Pope & injuries discussion
  • 25:06–28:01
• Best 13th Region players discussion
  • 41:08–42:52
• Magazine feature and local pride
  • 44:13–45:56

---

Episode Tone

• Homely and humorous, laced with gentle ribbing, small-town observations, and nostalgia.
• Analytical and honest, especially regarding Kentucky basketball, with frank discussion about coaching, injuries, and the program’s lowered expectations.

---

For Fans Who Missed the Episode

This special KSR episode is a blend of homecoming, Kentucky basketball anxiety, and classic radio banter. If you want small-town Eastern Kentucky authenticity, insider talk on UK hoops, and familial warmth, this hour captures it all—highlighted by the rare, heartfelt on-air words of Matt’s dad, and a fan-centric view of a Kentucky sports world in transition.

Transcript

[Advertisement Voice]

Talking to your kids about the dangers of vaping can be hard. Getting them to listen to hot gossip is easy. So here's some drama you could share with your kid. Dude, did you hear about Cassie and Jake? No. But did you hear that vaping can cause irreversible lung damage and nicotine affects brain development? Nuh. You don't need to gossip if you want to have an open conversation about vaping. So if you want to get tips on when and how to talk to your kids, visit talkaboutvaping.org, brought to you by the American Lung association and the

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

AD Council on the Cino Show Podcast, each episode invites you into a raw, unfiltered conversations about recovery, resilience and redemption.

[Matt Jones]

On a recent episode, I sit down with actor cultural icon Danny Trejo talk about addiction transformation and the power of second chances. The entire season two is now available to binge, featuring powerful conversations with the guests like Tiffany Haddish, Johnny Knoxville, and more.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

I'm an alcoholic and without this trope, I'm gonna die. Listen to Cino's show on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Advertisement Voice]

When segregation was a law, one mysterious black club owner Charlie Fitzgerald had his own rules.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Segregation in the day, integration at night.

[Larry Blondell]

It was like stepping in another world.

[Advertisement Voice]

Was he a businessman? A criminal? A hero?

[Matt Jones]

Charlie was an example, a power they

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

had to crush him.

[Advertisement Voice]

Charlie's Place from Atlas Obscura and visit Myrtle Beach. Listen to Charlie's place on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey everyone, it's Emily Simpson and Shane Simpson from the Legally Brunette podcast. Each week we're bringing you true crime

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

through a legal lens.

[Advertisement Voice]

Whether you want all the facts on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie or you still need to wrap your head around the Diddy verdict. When we're breaking it all down step by step.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

And we're not just lawyers, we're also husband and wife.

[Advertisement Voice]

It makes for some pretty entertaining episodes. Listen to Legally Brunette on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

your podcasts from Netflix and Hulu Comedy Off Broadway in Lexington welcomes Ashley Gavin, February 27th and 28th. Then from TV and the Movies, he's one of the kings of comedy. Catch D.L. hughley, March 6th through the 8th, and from the Nate Land podcast and the Grand Ole Opry, don't Aaron Weber, March 12th through the 14th. For tickets to all Comedy Off Broadway shows, call 859271, joke or visit comedyoff broadway.com. this is Kentucky sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Now here's Matt Jones.

[Matt Jones]

Welcome, everyone. It is Kentucky Sports Radio Thursday, March 5th. I'm Matt Jones here live at my house in Middlesborough, Kentucky. I don't know why my mom is listening on headphones when it's right here in front of you. Well, we're not having any calls yet. At Clark's pump and shop online is 859-280-2287. A Vision Auto Glass text machine is 772-774-5254 in this dish is sponsored by the TJ Smith Law Office. If you call, TJ will make them pay. We are in Middlesborough at my house. We got Ryan, we got Drew and Mario and guys, good to see you. And Middlesboro, we welcomes you.

I have had the best day so far. Your mom made breakfast and it may be the best breakfast I have ever had.

Explain what the breakfast was because we get asked this a lot when we're down here. You love my. It was great. You love my mom's breakfast. Explain what it is.

She basically had three entrees and a bowl of fruit and the entrees. Her breakfast casserole is famous. Not just Middlesboro, but in the state of Kentucky. Then she had cheesy potatoes. But the grand slam was this French toast casserole thing she had today that was like just melted in your mouth. She doesn't know this. I'm gonna ask if I can take some home with me.

Oh, are you?

Yeah.

Well, she might not let you get

a little to go box.

Oh, look, she got mad. Yes. She. She will let you. You. It was very, very good. And you got up this morning. We were in Corbin last night. You were. You got up this morning from Lexington. Was it worth the drive?

[Shannon]

Oh, absolutely. Didn't even need an alarm. I woke right up to the smell of French toast. You know, two hours away. We've been able to do this a few times on trips and stuff. And we're not just saying it because we're in the living room. Karen and Larry a just very hospitable. That breakfast is a legendary breakfast.

[Matt Jones]

The ladies of ksr, I already know on their Facebook page they're going to want the recipe for the French toast. Are you. Will you share it or is it no? Is it a no share? Okay, so she'll share it. So I'll have her. I'll have her give it to me and I will post it because thought

maybe the family secret.

No secret. No secret. Yeah, so. So it was. It was very good, very light breakfast to get us ready for the day. And. And we're here. And part of why we're here is Larry is up here as well and we. It's good to see him and be down here to say hello.

[Shannon]

Of course, they've popped in the bar occasionally throughout basketball season. We get moments here and there, but it's good to be in Middlesborough at your old house and hanging out with your parents. We do this a couple times a year.

[Matt Jones]

Yes. This is for Mario's first trip to Middlesboro. As we were driving through town, he said, so this is where you grew up. And the only thing he pointed out in town was, oh, there's a Kroger. So I mean, that's. I guess that's what. I guess that's what you need in order for Mario to feel like it's a. It's a good place to grow up.

Yeah. He made it to Pineville last summer when we did the show there. So he saw the floodgates and the chain rock. But we roll into Middlesbrough. That's a whole new experience. They call it Crater City for a reason.

What is the reason?

A crater fell from the sky, landed on Earth.

Not a crater. Craters don't fall from the sky. A meteor fell from the sky and created a crater.

And there Middlesbrough was building this hole, this crater that the meteor.

See it? Like it? You could drive.

No, I don't. I don't see it.

What do you mean you don't see it?

I don't see the hole.

Do you know when you're driving into town how we're coming downhill and then when we leave, we go back uphill. When we were in Tennessee, we're in a crater.

Okay, point it out to me so I don't miss it. This.

No, you're not. City is a crater. The whole city is a crater. Do you remember as we're coming from Pineville, we're at the top of a hill where my sign is.

Yes.

And then we come down a hill and you're there. And then you've been to Tennessee. When we go up, we go up the mountain. That's cuz it's a crater.

So what happened to this meteor after it hit the earth and made this huge.

This wasn't like 1974. I mean, this was many, many. Yeah, thousands of years ago. I mean, I guess it bounced.

Where did it go? Like, why can't we find broke up. Okay, where are the little pieces of it?

Why include mountains it made the mountain. I didn't say that. I'm not a geologist. I'm just saying to you, like this is not the only crater that ever

was created, but this is the only crater city.

Well, we claim that they didn't used to call it that, but. But we saw the sign that said home of Lee Majors and Matt Jones. Mario did not know who Lee Majors was.

[Shannon]

Very educational trip for Mario.

[Matt Jones]

Yes. You. He learned about the six million dollar man. The fall guy married to for a while to Farrah Fawcett. Went to high school with Larry.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

What going on?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Shannon]

I like a lot of the billboards are still the baby face.

[Matt Jones]

Yes.

Baby face. Anybody who's been in the mountains, they know. And I don't think it's just in Eastern Kee. I think what's odd is I think that baby face billboard is used for other business faces. It's like you don't want your cabinets to have funny faces. Is that what it's. It's so creepy.

Ugly. Baby face is definitely prevalent down here in this part of Kentucky. It's everywhere.

And then you have the. If you're in pain, call Shane. They're everywhere.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

All those down here.

[Shannon]

I knew I was close because I saw Blake bowling's. That's when I'm getting close to Middlesboro.

[Matt Jones]

So we were on the 13th region tournament last night.

Loved it.

Ryan already has his free T shirt.

Yep. Grace Hospital. 13th region tournament. Got all the schools.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

What's great about schools on my.

[Matt Jones]

What's great about Ryan is when he goes to something like that. I've said this before. No one is more famous than Ryan at a high school basketball tournament.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Every.

[Matt Jones]

Every town's media member knows who he is. And chances are he's been on all their shows.

[Shannon]

Absolutely.

[Matt Jones]

So last night I look up Bell county is playing Clay County.

[Shannon]

All right.

[Matt Jones]

How many Drew do you think broadcast teams would normally be calling a Bell County Clay county game?

[Shannon]

One for each team.

[Matt Jones]

One free C. Think two home broadcasts. There were seven radio broadcasts going big game seven. And I could. Where were they all broadcasting or did this. Did every radio state they. Maybe now maybe they don't have meteorite. So anyone. Because there were seven and Ryan went on every one of them.

[Shannon]

I picture him doing the radio road tour. You get 15 minutes with Ryan, then he goes to the next.

[Matt Jones]

So Ryan was on all of them. And that's what he does. He's like Mr. And that's. It's a great quality to have. But he is you. You want someone booked on your local Radio station. Ryan Lemon is your guy.

[Shannon]

Well, we think of Ryan as, you know, the co host on the show and the pep talks and getting out of control. But there was a time where if Ryan Lemon showed up your house with. Or your high school with a news camera, you knew you were a big game.

[Matt Jones]

Well, there was a guy. A guy came up to him and said, I watch you TV. And Ryan was like, well, I haven't been on TV in 15 years.

[Shannon]

But Ryan knows when you all would show up in a high school gym, even though you might only be there 5 minutes to get one play and move on to the next one, that's a. That's a big moment. That's probably how you know everyone.

[Matt Jones]

But down here, that's what high school basketball is all about. These people love it down here.

Well, I went on. So they have an official video stream that I guess is being syndicated around. So they asked me to come on in between the two games, and I did. I got more text for that than when I've been on ESPN. This whole.

This.

This whole 13 must be watching it.

They streamed it in every town of the 13th region.

It was. I was. I couldn't believe how many people were writing me saying they saw you on the. And there were people who, like, a guy wrote me, I went to high school with, who's never written me about anything. And I think it was at that moment he thought I made it. He was like, you were on the 13th Region High School stream.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Really?

[Matt Jones]

I thought you were a lawyer.

So did you say you asked him in the middle of the interview? Now, what's. Where my.

I had no idea what station I was on. And then they were, like, everywhere.

[Larry Blondell]

Wow.

[Matt Jones]

And so he. What? So, you know, I tell you, if you want to be. If you want to run for office, you need to find your way on the 13th region stream. They're not gonna get more publicity than that.

[Shannon]

Center of sports media, right?

[Matt Jones]

Seven different broadcasts. Live stream, and even a student broadcast from Pineville. They had a couple students streaming the broadcast.

And Bell county one.

[Shannon]

Was it close? Do you get a good game?

[Matt Jones]

It was an okay game. Bell County. Clay county was down double digits. Most of Bell county, we hear, has, like, the best freshman in the state. What was his name?

Braxton Ferguson.

Braxton Ferguson. I got Braxton Ferguson's dad, who, by the way, at 65 years old, has any man ever looked better at 65 years old, he literally could pass.

I'm not saying this for 35.

Yeah, easy, easy. He said, we're going to win the state in three years. He called his shot three years in advance. So, Shannon, I want you to write that down.

[Shannon]

All right?

[Matt Jones]

Bell county wins the state in three years in basketball.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

2029.

[Matt Jones]

I got 20, 29. Place your bets now on draftkings. Take Bell county to win the state that keeps calling it three years in advance.

[Shannon]

Also committing to Bell county for the next three years.

[Matt Jones]

Well, we know the portal. You don't know what's going to happen.

[Shannon]

You were Middlesboro like, you know, you move away. Did you still have a robbery or

[Matt Jones]

do you the Middlesboro, Bell county things not as bad as Kentucky. Louisville, I got still. I'll still root for the Bobcats. And yeah, it was good.

You were rooting for Bill county in the first game and Pineville in the second.

I did. We introduced Mario to some people from Clay County. That's a culture shock. Mario and Clay County. Buck Stivers who's hosted this show. Shannon, people know Buck Stivers. Richie farmers friend. He comes over and he starts talking to us. And then I get distracted. He's only talking to Mario. He'd been talking to Mario for five straight minutes. He walks away. Mario goes. I didn't understand a word he said.

[Shannon]

He just bowed your head?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. He's like, we don't have. And Mario said, yeah, man, you got it. So he was serious.

He did not understand the word.

So it's very nice to be home and to see everybody. And part of the reason came home was I wanted to see my folks. But also, you know, Larry got. Got a good report and Larry has, you know, he's sitting over there. We've had our whole listening audience been praying for you. I get messages about it all the time about your health. And he says he appreciates it. And as a matter of fact, on that, I wanted you to have a chance to say that. So here, I want to give you this. This microphone for just a second. I don't think this has ever happened before on this show. Mom has been on the show, but I think in all of these years, I don't think Larry has been on the show. So we're get. We're going to give him just a second here, the microphone, getting him set up.

[Shannon]

There we go.

[Matt Jones]

Larry.

[Larry Blondell]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Look at you on the radio.

Oh,

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

this is a first.

[Matt Jones]

This is a first. Now you are 88.

[Larry Blondell]

Almost 89.

[Matt Jones]

Almost 80. Grew up in Middlesbrough. Right back. Right you are. Now you. You've been dealing with some health stuff.

[Larry Blondell]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

How are you feeling?

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

I feel great.

[Shannon]

You do?

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

And what about these guys coming all the way down here?

[Larry Blondell]

Well, I appreciate that very much, and I appreciate all of the good thoughts and especially all of the prayers that I've heard have been ask and offered. I appreciate that very, very much. I got a good report here, well, this last week from a CT scan

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

that I had taken.

[Larry Blondell]

So I'm just doing great, and I appreciate it and I thank everybody for their good thoughts.

[Matt Jones]

How does it feel to know all these people you don't even know.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

I don't even know who pray for you.

[Matt Jones]

Had a lot of people send you cards.

[Larry Blondell]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

How did that feel?

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Well, it feel great. It felt great. I've never had. Well, I've never had this problem before,

[Larry Blondell]

but I've never had that kind of

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

response, and I'm so grateful.

[Matt Jones]

Now, you. You watch the UK games. You root for Trent Noah, right?

[Larry Blondell]

Yes.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

He's from Harlan.

[Larry Blondell]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Yes, he is. He hasn't been making a lot of shots.

[Larry Blondell]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

But then he did in the last game, made two.

[Larry Blondell]

I think he did.

[Matt Jones]

That's exactly right. Why do you like him so much?

[Larry Blondell]

Well, he's one of us.

[Matt Jones]

That's exactly right. He's from Harlem.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Well, I just wanted to say to you on the air, Mom's been on before, but you had. Had not. I love you and it's great to. It's been great to spend time with you and I'm proud of you. And I hope you know how much the listeners and all of us have been praying for you and rooting for your good health.

[Larry Blondell]

Well, thank. Thank you. Thank all of you very, very much. I am truly thankful. I'm truly grateful, and thank you for this opportunity to. To say so to everybody.

[Matt Jones]

I appreciate it. So there you go. Larry Blondell, ladies and gentlemen.

Very good. Can I ask him to tell a story?

Okay. All right, go for it.

My favorite Larry Blondell story. Can you tell a story?

Tell it quickly.

When Matt always wears hoodies and the hood. The strings on the hoodies. How did you try to get him to quit from biting on the strings on the hoodies?

[Larry Blondell]

I just. I don't remember how I got him to, but I told him about it several times.

[Matt Jones]

You would. You walked into my high school with your hoodie in your mouth to embarrass me. That's exactly right. And you were like, this is how you look.

[Larry Blondell]

That's so long ago.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

I forgot.

[Matt Jones]

I love that story.

Well, we are going to take a break. It's great having now both my parents have been on. We will take a break and Be right back. From Middlesboro. Talk a little UK this is KSR DraftKings sportsbook puts you right in the middle of basketball's biggest star driven moments. Whether it's regular season, all star, they can bet player props bet live and when a game turns fast, DraftKings has your back with an early exit. If a player gets injured in the first half, the bet stays alive. You're not out of it if one of the guys falls and if once it settles, you still get paid in cash. Built in protection for star driven bets backed by DraftKings. That's the way you're not at the whim of a freak injury. So go ahead and download the DraftKings sportsbook app. Use the code KSR. New customers bet just $5. If you bet wins, you'll get $200 in bonus bets. It's the code KSR. It's what I use, what all the guys at Kentucky Sports Radio use. KSR is in partnership with DraftKings. Check out the bets. The crown is yours. If you have a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER 18 plus Kentucky only eligibility restrictions apply. Bet must win to receive bonus bets which expire in seven days. Minimum odds required. For additional terms Responsible Gaming Resources see DKNG CO Audio limited Time Offer

[Advertisement Voice]

Corporate Credit cards Cash flow Management Centralizing Spend Help with catching fraud A powerful corporate card program needs to do a lot, so it should be designed to help work with your business. That's why with the American Express corporate program, you can customize key elements to match your company's needs. Explore and apply from a variety of car types based on employee roles, select liability and billing options that fit your needs, add spending controls to support compliance and decide whether earning rewards or cash back in the form of a statement. Credit delivers more value for your business. Learn more and start customizing your corporate [e-mail] corporate corporate terms apply it's the new me and it's the old them. Everybody's on their journey, and your journey is different to theirs. This woman's History Month, the podcast if you knew better with Amber Grimes spotlights women who turn missteps into momentum and lessons into power. I think coming out of where I came from, I'm from the Bronx. I think I grew up really poor. I didn't know that then because I very much use my creativity to romance romanticized life and I'm like, my mom did a really good job of like, you step back and you're like, whoa.

[Matt Jones]

We.

[Advertisement Voice]

I don't know how we made it So a lot of my life was, like, built out of, like, survival to get to the next place. Like, my drive, my, like, tunnel vision of, like, I gotta be better, I gotta achieve this was off the strengths of, like, I want to make a better life for us. If you Knew Better brings real talk from women who've lived it, unpacking, career pivots, relationship lessons, and the mindset shifts that changed everything. Listen to if youf Knew Better with Amber grimes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Talking to your kids about the dangers of vaping can be hard. Getting them to listen to hot gossip is easy. So here's some drama you could share with your kid. Dude, did you hear about Cassie and Jake?

[Larry Blondell]

No.

[Advertisement Voice]

But did you hear that vapey can cause irreversible lung damage and nicotine affects brain development? Nuh. You don't need to gossip if you want to have an open conversation about vaping. So if you want to get tips on when and how to talk to your kids, visit talkaboutvaping.org brought to you by the American Lung association and the AD Council.

[Matt Jones]

Welcome back. It is Kentucky Sports Radio here in Middlesboro. Remember, at 10:41, we will be going to WSFC again as the as Kentucky women play Georgia today. They won the first game in the SEC tournament, so they will play the second. That will start at 11am so we will switch to WSFC and we will remind you as you get close, people saying really nice stuff. One person writes, I believe Larry was my teacher at Butler High School in Louisville and he's shaking his head, yes, he taught at Butler High School in Louisville. How about that? You have one of your students listening. They said he was a hard teacher.

[Shannon]

So you mean good teacher?

[Advertisement Voice]

Great teacher.

[Matt Jones]

He teached at Butler before he came back here.

He teached? Yes, he did teach, taught or taught?

Yeah, Butler. And then he came back here. Was he a guidance counselor here?

He was guidance counselor, yes. You could have asked him when he was on. He was just automated.

We didn't have the headphones on now.

859-280-2287. So let's talk a little bit about the basketball and situation. We've spent a lot of time with Mitch Barnard. Let's talk basketball. Kentucky can be anywhere, Drew, from fourth seed in the SEC tournament to the 10th seed, depending on what happens on the last day. If they beat Florida and a couple things happen, they could get to four. If they lose, 10 is the most likely scenario. It's not certain, but it's very, very likely. Kentucky could be a 10 seed in the SEC tournament. And as far as I know is this will be the first time they've ever played on Wednesday. Do you ever remember them playing on Wednesday?

Never.

No.

This would be the first time.

I think this would be the first.

[Shannon]

We're talking about it last year, how we were heading for the first time. They got snuck out of it by beating Missouri. At Missouri. I know the injuries and stuff. Just the sentence that Kentucky could be the 10 seed in the SEC tournament, honestly makes me want to throw up. That's. That's sad. I know the conference is better, but the 10 seed for Kentucky basketball in

[Matt Jones]

the conference, if they lose to Florida, then they'll either be the 8, 9, or 10. So I mean, the way to think of it is if they win, they'll either be the 4, 5, 6, or 7. If they lose, they'll be the 8, 9, or 10. And if you look at who plays who and whatever, the 10 is probably the most likely scenario. If they lose to get the eight, you would need both Texas and Vandy to lose in order. Excuse me, Texas, Vandy or Georgia. Two of those to lose.

Who do they play?

Vanny plays Tennessee. The problem is Georgia. Georgia has the tiebreaker on.

Yes.

And the problem is Georgia's very likely to win. I think they play like Ole Miss or something.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Mississippi State.

[Matt Jones]

Mississippi State. If Georgia beats Mississippi State, we're playing on Wednesday. That's the best way to watch it. If we lose to Florida and Georgia beats Mississippi State, we're playing on Wednesday.

It is incredibly embarrassing to even have to talk about this scenario. Plus playing in the opening round on Wednesday, that we used to make fun of the teams and the fan bases on Wednesday night. Now we're right smack dab in the middle of it.

[Shannon]

For years I've said Wednesday is my favorite day because we don't have work obligations. There's bad basketball. Hang out, my friends. It's just a day of fun. And then we lock in and go try to win the tournament on Friday.

[Matt Jones]

And the game that will cost us is the Georgia game at home. A game that we should have won. Yeah, that. That game will be the one that cost us. And I said that when it happened. I was like, this is a game that will hurt us. I didn't think it would hurt us on the SEC tournament. But then they beat Alabama on Tuesday night, upset Alabama. So now it will have. It will have an impact.

[Shannon]

You don't want to ever write off your team like they can't go and win something. But to start on Wednesday to ask them to run that gauntlet when they

[Matt Jones]

can five games in five when they

[Shannon]

can barely even put together back to back games in the season, it's just such an ask. It's hard to believe.

[Matt Jones]

The most likely scenario if it plays out the way we're talking about would be Kentucky as a 10 opening with LSU.

What, what game of the day is that?

7 o' clock on Wednesday night open with LSU. Then you would probably play Texas or Vandy in round two and then you would play Alabama on Friday. Do you like that road? You basically would need to be lsu. Let's just say lsu, Vandy, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida.

Oh well, I don't like the how it ended. I like how it begins.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

What lsu, lsu?

[Matt Jones]

Would you like us against Vandy a second time?

Texas or Vandy? I'm not, I am ain't scared of those two.

How about Alabama?

I scared Alabama a little bit.

How about Arkansas?

I don't want to play Arkansas. I want to stay far away, far, far away from Arkansas.

See and if we'd won against A and M we would either be the four or the five and would actually have a decent shot to the semifinals. But that's not what we ended up doing.

[Shannon]

Yeah, of course you want to avoid Florida, but I'm looking at Alabama where you've already played back to back days. Alabama has had our number lately.

[Matt Jones]

I mean if we play Alabama we would have to play back to. Yeah, back to back days and we've

[Shannon]

lost four straight and last year that they could have won by 100 in Nashville. I don't remember the final score but it felt like 100. So I feel like we'd be. Even if you do win the first two where you still got to do that, I think we'd be walking right into getting our teeth kicked in on Friday.

[Matt Jones]

So Mark Pope yesterday spoke and it was the first time, Ryan where I felt like he was very honest about the team's deficiencies. I mean I always think he's honest but I think he was like, you know, he has, he seemed to say all year it's coming like it's coming. And this was the first time where he kind of said, you know, we're just inconsistent, we just are. And he was almost saying what we've said for a few weeks. It was almost like he was accepting it and going okay. And he said Jasper and Noah needed to play more which I, you know,

[Shannon]

at least they're hitting Shots, I'll give them that. I don't know how many more minutes they need, but the last week we

[Matt Jones]

saw both of them, yeah, they got some points.

How disappointing is it to hear your coach in the first week of March talk about they still haven't got it figured out?

Well, he didn't say he didn't have it figured out. He just said they were inconsistent with effort.

[Shannon]

But this is the time of the year we stick our out our chest and say, bring it.

[Matt Jones]

Yes.

[Shannon]

What's fun? And being a Kentucky fan like, this is not the experience any of us grew up on.

[Matt Jones]

No, it's not. And it hasn't been for a few years.

[Shannon]

That's what stinks.

[Matt Jones]

So you and I, we had this discussion last night. Is there an argument for coach Pope that he's had to adjust here in the middle of the SEC season and try to change things to try to figure it out? Is that a credit to him or.

Okay, so one of the things that is said a lot, and I think it's fair, is, look, they have. They have injuries, but somebody made a point that I thought was pretty good, which was, I mean, we've said all on the biggest injury was to Jalen Lowe, but somebody said to me, matt, let's just say Jaylen Lowe is as good as you, meaning me, think he is. I mean, Aberdeen's been pretty good.

Yeah, he has.

So the drop off between what Jalen Lowe was supposed to be and Aberdeen, his point was it can't be that big a drop. I mean, ultimately we just aren't good. I would push back to say if Aberdeen was at the two and Chandler was the sixth man, you'd have more depth. But I do think it's a fair point to say, honestly, our problem hasn't even really been the point guard. It was early in the year, but I don't think it's been an SEC play because I actually think Aberdeen's played

pretty well and I think Aberdeen's actually a better defender than Jalen Lowe.

I think the problem is you just didn't create a team that could consistently score and consistently defend.

[Shannon]

That's why I rarely mention injuries. I mean, Quaint's, I don't. We knew that when you signed him so low and Cam Williams are what I'm basing it on. And I just don't know that the record would be that different with as well as Aberdeen's play. And even though Cam Williams was turning a corner, just got in the starting lineup, it's not like he was just Some world beater. He lost these crazy stats. Maybe you win another game, maybe you wanted two more games.

[Matt Jones]

I think if you had low, you wouldn't lose these games like we do where we get blown out. But would your record be that different?

[Shannon]

That's my, that's why maybe not.

[Matt Jones]

I don't, I mean, I don't think we would just quit like we've done in some games, but our record might not really be all that different. 859-280-2287. We will take your calls and be right back. It's Kentucky Sports Radio.

[Advertisement Voice]

T.J. smith, personal injury attorney. Call T.J. he'll make him pay.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Now more of Kentucky Sports Radio presented by Stockton Mortgage. Here's Matt Jones.

[Matt Jones]

Welcome back Tech Sports Radio here live in Middlesborough. The reality in Kentucky right now, people can't afford child care, a place to live. Then businesses can't grow. Housing is what matters to communities. And if you can't find housing or child care, companies struggle to hire. Add your name to a group of legislators in Frankfurt. Fix the basics. Child care and housing go to Opportunity starts here dot com. That's Opportunity starts here dot com. One person writes. Matt, I love when you get to go home. It was neat hearing Larry. Do you think he should get his own regular segment? Oh, yeah, for sure.

Life with Larry.

Life with Larry, it would be, gets up, hangs out, doesn't worry about anything, doesn't get on his phone. Have you ever sent a text message, Larry?

[Larry Blondell]

No.

[Matt Jones]

Have you ever been on the computer once you sold your car on there? He had a job. That's right. He did have a job where he, where he did that. But he's still going.

He's got some of the strongest hands of any man I've ever shaken hands with. I think you said he used to play the bass guitar. That's why he got these strong hands.

Bass fiddle.

Bass fiddle back.

Bass violin.

[Larry Blondell]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

Right there.

Huge strong hands.

Yes.

What?

Read the text you got there. I thought this was funny.

[Shannon]

Yeah, it was a submission from Chin Coleman's glasses.

[Matt Jones]

That's a good account.

[Shannon]

First I thought it was a complaint. He said, guys, I listened yesterday and I'm really trying to give it all today to listen again, but I'm so fatigued. Listening back to back days is a quick turnaround.

[Matt Jones]

Laughing about the Pope Saturday to Tuesday. Yes. Yeah, well, we better get used to that. That's going to happen in the NCAA tournament. Did you see Shay Gilgeous Alexander's coat last night?

[Shannon]

I checked it out online just now. That is a coat. That is a coat.

[Matt Jones]

Looks like an Eskimo coat.

You think we can pull that off? No, I like Shake El just Alexander will wear anything but that coat. That's a heck of a coat for me. I haven't seen it. It does look like an Eskimo. It's fur.

Yeah.

It's all the way up to his chin.

[Shannon]

It's got like a scarf slash hoodie. I don't even know.

[Matt Jones]

It looks like. Like a hoodie.

Have you seen the coat, Shannon? Do you know what we're talking about?

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

It looks like he's wearing like, almost like a bear cost. Like a mascot costume. Carved out the top part.

[Matt Jones]

Bear mascot but without the head.

Yeah.

[Shannon]

I would wear it, but that looks like something I couldn't even afford to even get near. That looks very expensive.

[Matt Jones]

You think he bought that in Oklahoma City?

[Shannon]

I think so.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

It's got to be warm, though. I mean, look how warm that thing looks.

[Matt Jones]

It does.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, it would be nice. All right, who's up first? Shannon.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Let's go to Rob.

[Matt Jones]

Rob. Go ahead, Rob.

[Larry Blondell]

Hey, Matt, thanks for taking my call and I'm happy that Larry got a good CT scan report. Just want to make some comments on Pope and I think Drew really has. Has the best summary and I listen to you guys daily. If you go back and take notes on what you say, we go back to Pope at byu. He was very inconsistent, beat Kansas, came home and got beat by. By nobody. That's kind of what he does here. Very inconsistent.

[Matt Jones]

Yes.

[Larry Blondell]

Talk about how he does not. His substitution pattern is crazy. We don't do we have the same inbounds play as Caliperi did?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Larry Blondell]

When we get pressed, we don't bring. We don't bring five people to get the ball. So it seems like there's lots of mistakes in coaching. I have no reason to believe that's going to change. When you look at this year. Yeah. Low we probably should have taken the kid that went to Villanova. Low is liability on defense. I'm not sure he can shoot to three. Cam Williams was coming on whether that would have made a difference. Quite as was probably the best he could do. And then when you look at next year, we have no recruits. He won't get a gm. I have no reason to believe that next year is going to be any better than this year. And you know that we did go to the second game of the in the tournament last year.

[Matt Jones]

Third.

[Larry Blondell]

That's not Kentucky.

[Matt Jones]

And this year we went to Sweet 16. Last year we went to Sweet 16 last year. I mean, we did. We made the second weekend and, you know, I'm not saying that that's ultimate success, but Sweet sixteen is not a bad year. Now, they did, you know, they did not have the best regular season. I think this year is a perfect complaint. I don't really know if you can complain about last year when you consider that the first five years previous we had not gone to the sweet 16. I actually think last year was successful this year. I'm with everything you said, but I don't think that's fair to say. Last year was not successful.

[Larry Blondell]

No, no, I'm not saying it wasn't successful. It was better. I just think we thought that this year we would move on and maybe be better. And we had the Ferrari, but we don't have a Ferrari. We. We've got, you know, an old Toyota of some sort of. But in any case, I don't have any next year. We have no recruits.

[Matt Jones]

I understand. I appreciate the call. You mentioned all. You mentioned all that. I mean, you're right. I mean, you're right. These are all legitimate concerns. But we're also going into March and we'll have a different. We'll have a stronger view here in a few weeks, probably one way or the other.

[Shannon]

Yeah. In this sport, we grade the year on what you did in March. So here in a few weeks, we're going to know exactly how this year went.

[Matt Jones]

That's true. And what if they go on a run to the second weekend? What if that happens? It could.

I would be, as a fan, be very happy if they ended up doing something like that.

Yeah, I would be happy. I would still say, though, the year as a whole was.

Yeah.

A little. A little disappointing. 859-280-2287. Now we're gonna be switching to WSFC. So get on your phones, go to WSFC if you want to continue to hear the game. We're going to talk about. The revelations on the Mitch Barnhart thing have gone even more odd and we need to discuss that. But first, from DraftKings before we go. Michigan at Iowa. Bet five. Get $200 from DraftKings. Michigan. This is the only big game night. Michigan's at Iowa, though. I was good. Michigan's an 8 1/2 point favorite on the road.

That's a lot of points. I'm. I still take Michigan. Michigan and cover.

You're not an Iowa guy.

Do not like Iowa guy. Although they gave us a nice tour. We were up there.

[Shannon]

We've been in that gym.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, You've been in that gym.

Stood on the Caitlyn Clark spot where she hit that. That long shot.

Still not pick it.

Michigan.

All right.

[Shannon]

I'm trying to talk myself into Iowa, but I can't. I'm going Michigan, too. I was doing the whole we've been there, saw the locker room, that nice manager that showed us around.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

But, oh, yeah, Michigan is just a juggernaut.

[Matt Jones]

The problem is games on Peacock.

[Shannon]

See, I'm a Peacock guy.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Does it change the spread for you because it's on Peacock?

[Matt Jones]

It does. I'm taking. I would cover because it's on.

It's on the Peacock.

[Shannon]

I don't go to cable. I go to the apps.

[Matt Jones]

I do, too, but I feel like when a game is only on Peacock, it doesn't feel real.

[Shannon]

See, I wouldn't even know if it's on cable or not because I go straight to the ESPN app.

[Matt Jones]

Peacock is. No, but I'm still going to take Iowa to cover because it's on Peacock. All right, we will take a break. When we come back, we're going to talk about the Barnhart situation. WSFC on streaming. The rest of you will be right back.

[Advertisement Voice]

Ksr it's the new me and it's the old them. Everybody's on their journey, and your journey is different to theirs. This Women's History Month, the podcast if youf Knew Better with Amber Grimes spotlights women who turn missteps into momentum and lessons into power. I think coming out of where I came from, I'm from the Bronx. I think I grew up really poor. I didn't know that then because I very much use my creativity to romanticize life. And I'm like, my mom did a really good job of, like, you step back and you're like, whoa. We. I don't know how we made it. So a lot of my life was, like, built out of, like, survival to get to the next place. Like, my drive, my, like, tunnel vision of, like, I got to be better. I got to achieve. This was off the strengths of, like, I want to make a better life for us. If you knew Better brings real talk from women who've lived it, unpacking, career pivots, relationship lessons, and the mindset shifts that changed everything. Listen to if youf Knew Better with Amber grimes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Talking to your kids about the dangers of vaping can be hard. Getting them to listen to hot gossip is easy. So here's some drama you could share with your kid. Dude, did you hear about Cassie and Jake?

[Matt Jones]

No.

[Advertisement Voice]

But did you hear that vaping can cause irreversible lung damage and nicotine affects brain development?

[Larry Blondell]

Nuh.

[Advertisement Voice]

You don't need to gossip if you want to have an open conversation about vaping. So if you want to get tips on when and how to talk to your kids, visit talkaboutvaping.org, brought to you by the American Lung association and the AD Council. Usually on this podcast, We'll Kill youl, we talk about the diseases, infections and biological threats that can make us really sick. But right now, we're doing something a little different. We're stepping back and looking at what the human body needs to keep going. When you consider what we know about sleep in humans, there's one rule that comes out we are predictably unpredictable sleepers. We're talking about why sleep works the way it does, why our bodies don't follow neat rules, and why modern life makes rest so hard to come by. The second half of our series takes us to the digestive system with a multi part series on what happens after we eat. Okay, I just have to say that all of my favorite words apparently are digestive words. Sphincter, peristalsis, duodenum. It's fascinating, it's funny, and it matters so much more than you think. Episodes of our new series run from January 20 through February 17, with new episodes every Tuesday on the Exactly Right Network. Listen to this podcast will kill you as part of the Exactly Right Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Danielle Robay, host of Bookmarked the podcast by Reese's Book Club. And this week on Bookmarked, we're basically hosting the Ultimate Girls Night. Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, Judy Greer, Rita Wilson, Angari Rice, and author Laura Dave. These are the women behind season two of the Apple TV series. The last thing he told me we're talking about turning a book into a hit show and what it really takes to bring a story to life. The most important metric for me is do I want to share this book with somebody?

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

That's what creates community and that's the

[Advertisement Voice]

main thesis of our book club and why we started it was just to connect people together. Listen to the Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Matt Jones]

Welcome back Techie Sports Radio 859-280-2287 Text Machine 772-77-45254. One person writes, short of a national title, what could Kentucky do in the NCAA tournament to make you completely forget about the regular season? Well, I mean, you make the Final four. Think about 2014. We never talk about that regular season. Who even remembers that regular season? What are the biggest memories of the 2014 regular season? The put back by Julius Randall against LSU. The Harrison Twin, Aaron saying, it'll be a great story after the South Carolina game, but can you remember anything else about that regular season?

[Shannon]

No, not really.

[Matt Jones]

I really can't. It all gets blocked out to me. And for me, the memories of that team just start with the Wichita State game and then. And then go on.

[Shannon]

Well, that goes to the importance of March. I can say the same about, like Oakland and St. Peter's my, those teams are associated with that one game and it's not fair to them. But I probably couldn't even run through what they did.

[Matt Jones]

So. Yeah, so if you went on a run, I don't think anybody would go, well, you lost to Missouri at home. But the problem is, I thought about this the other night with Cal. You remember back in the day, Cal used to always say, it's all about March. When we would struggle during the regular season, what would he say? It's all about March. And we all, myself included, kind of bought into it. And then when he lost to St. Peter's in Oakland, he goes, well, we can't look past the fact we had a great regular season. And I remember saying, will you tell me that the regular season doesn't matter? And now you're telling me March doesn't matter. Something has to matter.

[Shannon]

I just don't watch.

[Matt Jones]

So, I mean, I think they both matter. I think March obviously matters more, but I think they both matter.

[Shannon]

Always look at it as, did you win the regular season? Not even close this year.

[Matt Jones]

Did you win the SEC tournament?

[Shannon]

Did you win the essay? I can't speak for them yet, but it's looking like that's going to be a no. And then as much as I'd like to say Final Four, I say Elite Eight as the third. If you do one of those three,

[Matt Jones]

I'm going to think fondly, yeah, we've talked about that. One of those three, then it's a great year. If you win three, it's elite.

[Shannon]

And we've done none of them in a long time.

[Matt Jones]

That's that. Not, that's one of the three. One person writes, Matt, I saw you all at the 13th region tournament yesterday I was, I was nervous to come say hello. Who are your and Ryan's best 13th region players in history? Great question.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Good question.

[Matt Jones]

Richie Farmer.

Yes.

Wawa Jones.

Wawa Jones.

Who else?

Charles Thomas for me.

Charles Thomas. Would you put him that high?

Reed Shepherd, Trey Noah.

Yeah. Because Harlan County Central goes to the championship game. Right. Tony Petrowski, Nick Samford.

Nick Sanford's another good one. Yeah,

I'm sure there's like ones in like the 60s, 70s, 80s. I can't, can't remember. Do you?

I'm trying to, trying to think of one, I think.

Who's the best player? Well, best player from Middlesboro is probably the guy that played in Kentucky. Right? The purse full guy, the basketball player. Yeah. He was from Middlesbrough I think. Yeah. That's a pretty good group I would say. So you would say. Would you say Wawa, Richie and Reed.

That's hard to top those three guys for sure. Then who's your starting five? Trent and Charles Thomas.

Yeah, I mean Charles Thomas played in the Final Four for Minnesota. People skip over that. He was the sixth man on a Final Four team, wasn't he Mr. Basketball? I think he was, yeah.

What teams from the 13th region have won the state tournament? South Laurel did one year.

South Laurel boys didn't win.

Yeah, they won. They won one year with a tie profit.

Did they really?

Uh huh. G.G. smith signed.

Well, Clay county won tonight.

Clay county one.

Yes, that might be it.

[Shannon]

I don't know.

[Matt Jones]

Maybe back in the day when those

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

like towns won like Trent got to the final game.

[Matt Jones]

But they did.

Still on.

Yeah.

[Shannon]

Bell county in three years from now will Bell County. Three years.

[Matt Jones]

We already have it. But set that up in 2029.

[Shannon]

We'll go and count that one.

[Matt Jones]

All right. 859280. 2287. The women's team, they're going to tip off at 11 against Georgia. They handled Arkansas rather easily yesterday. They will play. They play Georgia. If they win tomorrow, they get Don Staley again.

Tougher battle today they beat Arkansas by 30 most the game. But Georgia beat him about a month ago at at Memorial Coliseum.

Good for Kentucky to get a win. They still are kind of in play for hosting. They're probably sitting at a five seed right now. They could win today. They'd have a shot. If they could win today and somehow beat South Carolina, I think they would get a hosting site but probably need to win today to have a chance.

[Shannon]

Yeah. And I don't have an expectation of beating South Carolina, but I hope they can get to that game. Because playing them so close, even having. I thought Tiana Aniki had a great look to tie it late in the game last weekend. I'd love to just get one more swing at him, even though it's still unlikely.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. And remember, we are at Paul Miller Ford tomorrow, tomorrow. And if they win today, then we'll be doing that thing again. Although the game tomorrow is at noon, so we'll only lose the last 15 minutes tomorrow. So the game was 11. It'll be. It's not. It's noon tomorrow.

[Shannon]

Paul Miller's setting up for an event, too.

[Matt Jones]

Jasper.

Sissy cakes.

[Shannon]

A shuttle. There's like a map.

[Matt Jones]

There's a shuttle.

[Shannon]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Nice. All right, so be real big. Be ready tomorrow. Who's next?

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Grandma Sarah.

[Matt Jones]

Grandma Sarah, how are you?

[Larry Blondell]

I'm fine, fine. Well, fine, thank you. This is not a basketball thing. I just read in. Okay. I just read in my Kentucky Monthly March magazine the article Matt Jones and Con and Kentucky Sports Radio, which was very good. If anyone hasn't read it, I think they would enjoy it.

[Matt Jones]

They did. They did a feature on me. They interviewed you guys, you all without.

I didn't know it was out yet.

Kentucky Monthly Magazine.

Nice.

I didn't make the COVID but I have like a little headshot.

[Shannon]

Little box.

[Matt Jones]

A little box. Well, thank you very much.

[Larry Blondell]

And I don't know if I'm sure Karen and Larry probably get the magazine, but if they don't, they would enjoy reading it each time.

[Matt Jones]

I will tell my mom to get a copy. Kentucky Monthly magazine.

[Larry Blondell]

Your son, not only she. Not only should you get a copy, they should subscribe. It's very cheap and it's very good.

[Matt Jones]

Sarah says you need to subscribe.

[Larry Blondell]

Enjoy.

[Matt Jones]

All right, I will make her subscribe.

[Larry Blondell]

Thank you very much.

[Matt Jones]

Thank you very much. I appreciate it. I pray you all had nice comments to say. I appreciated that.

Is your little photo on the front, you and the cowboy hat.

No, it's me in that ESPN picture where I'm looking serious. Oh, yeah, yeah, it's that one.

[Shannon]

We've done those before. This isn't a criticism the author, but I like. We'll do a 45 minute interview and it's like one.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, they did use like one sentence

[Shannon]

of yours and it's like, well, you know, maybe I didn't have good things to say, but you think of all these great compliments.

[Matt Jones]

I think I told you after the interview, they asked me a lot of questions about you living here in this house, what your room was like, you know, what the house looked like.

Didn't use any of it.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

I thought I was just throwing fastballs

[Shannon]

at him and then didn't use any.

[Matt Jones]

That's okay, though. It's still a good story.

[Shannon]

It was.

[Matt Jones]

I appreciate it. I was on. They interviewed me for like two hours, and there's one quote in there from me. My mom is very upset that she. I didn't tell her about it, but Sarah told you about it. Who's next?

[Shannon]

Todd.

[Matt Jones]

Todd. Go ahead, Todd.

[Larry Blondell]

Hey, Matt, tell your mom, dad, hello and thank you. That Larry got a good report.

[Matt Jones]

Thank you.

[Larry Blondell]

I like. I think. Thank you all for you always calling it fair and seeing it like a fan sees it. But I got two. 2 comments or questions for you, Matt. I tried a couple years ago to try to get. When we were looking for a coach, how come when we ran out of the major names, how come that we didn't look at Todd Golden?

[Matt Jones]

Well, I mean, he wasn't a major name at that moment. I think he had just gotten to Florida. Right. He'd only been at Florida at that point one year.

[Shannon]

He had a good start at Florida because I did a list and I think I had him second.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, he was. He had done all right, but I think he'd only been at Florida for a year. And, you know, I don't know. I mean, I don't know. At that point, the sort of little controversy about him hadn't happened yet. So I don't know. You know, I'm not sure the answer to that question. But he. The Todd golden we know today was not what Todd golden was when they hired Mark Pope.

[Larry Blondell]

All right, another comment. I. I know we have our good times and bad times this year, and. But I think at most times, sometimes Pope is his worst enemy. And I think like the other day, Chandler hit three. Three. He took him out. We were. We were beating Texas A M by going inside. And Garrison, I'm not a big fan of Garrison, but he was playing decent. And then he. We started jacking up those threes. Instead of being up by 12. We were down by 12 at halftime.

[Matt Jones]

We did go away going inside. I mean, they were. We were. We were having. I appreciate the call, Todd. We were having our. Our way inside early now. I also think they changed their defense. They kind of. They were not pressuring the ball as much. Once we crossed half court, they were, like, trying to keep us from getting shots early. And then they started and we were going over the top. And then they stopped doing that. Also when they take away and Aberdeen out, which he did, we don't have guys who can get off the dribble. I mean, we don't. We don't have guys who can beat their man off the dribble.

Except those two took Owen Aberdeen out and we're locking up Chandler. Somebody's got. When the printers got to do something, then trainer Jasper. Somebody's got to step up and do something.

[Shannon]

Lean on momentum so much. Once they get you a little bit in that chaos, in that pace where you're uncomfortable, they just latch on and it turns into those big runs.

[Matt Jones]

I've seen people online sort of trying to have this counter narrative that the substitutions didn't matter. It was an 80 run. It was now. It had gone from 12 to 7 before that. Fair enough. They hit a 3 and then I think they hit a layup, but it was an 80 run in 70 seconds. And when they had cut it from 12 to 7, I'm not sure how the coaching staff would think, okay, how do we stop this? Take all the starters out. I just don't know how you. And for me, when I say starters, it's not even the bigs. It's really away Aberdeen and championship because the big. Sometimes yellow Vic and Moreno and good and sometimes the Abate and Garrison.

[Shannon]

I mean, dbate has been playing starter minutes.

[Matt Jones]

It's really the guards and it's really it. You, Mark Pope should be put in timeout and made to sit in the locker room if he ever does not have two of those three guys on the floor.

We don't want to get fatigued for later in the game.

But you. You cannot. I mean, we had at one point Jasper, Noah, Garrison, and yellow Vic. And you cannot do that. Those are your. Those are your four worst defenders. They can't all be out there at the same time.

And he had them all four out there. And the two of those three guys we talked about needed to be on the floor at all time. You can't take two of the real out of the game.

You just can't. You just can't. Who's next?

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Let's go to Mike.

[Matt Jones]

Mike. Go ahead, Mike.

[Larry Blondell]

I gotta. If it's okay, I gotta take on board hard and the basketball.

[Matt Jones]

Okay. I just got like a minute. So. Yes, just go quick.

[Larry Blondell]

Okay. Okay. Well, Barnhart, you know, everybody says he's the best we've had. And I just think people that say that aren't looking at the big picture. And I think it's funny that. That he gets a million dollar deal just a few months after JMI gets a 15 year contract. You know the basketball take I don't get. I would play away and Chandler and Aberdeen the whole game. Unless they're in foul trouble and call time out to arrest them. They'll be all right. I mean, come on. The problem. But the biggest problem with this team all year has been the bigs. They're inconsistent as far as you know. Like last year we talked about Brandon Garrison and that's why we needed GM Nobody.

[Matt Jones]

I agree with you. I got to cut you off right there. Bell county played their guards the whole game. They did if they could do it.

Didn't seem to be fatigued.

We need to talk about Barnhart. $950,000 and UK changed where the money's coming from. That's next.

[Advertisement Voice]

Talking to your kids about the dangers of vaping can be hard. Getting them to listen to hot gossip is easy. So here's some drama you could share with your kid. Dude, did you hear about Cassie and Jake?

[Larry Blondell]

No.

[Advertisement Voice]

But did you hear that vaping can cause irreversible lung damage and nicotine affects brain development? Nuh. You don't need to gossip if you want to have an open conversation about vaping. So if you want to get tips on when and how to talk to your kids, visit talkaboutvaping.org, brought to you by the American Lung association and the

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

AD Council on the Cino Show Podcast. Each episode invites you into a raw, unfiltered conversations about recovery, resilience and redemption. On a recent episode, I sit down

[Matt Jones]

with actor cultural icon Danny Trejo talk about addiction, transformation and the power of second chances. The entire season two is now available to binge, featuring powerful conversations with guests like Tiffany Adish, Johnny Knoxville, and more.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

I'm an alcoholic, and without this trope, I'mma die. Listen to Cino's show on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Advertisement Voice]

When segregation was a law, one mysterious black club owner Charlie Fitzgerald had his own rules.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

Segregation in the day, integration at night.

[Larry Blondell]

It was like stepping in another world.

[Advertisement Voice]

Was he a businessman? A criminal? A hero?

[Matt Jones]

Charlie was an example of power.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

They had to crush him.

[Advertisement Voice]

Charlie's Place from Atlas Obscura and visit Myrtle Beach. Listen to Charlie's place on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey everyone, it's Emily Simpson and Shane Simpson from the Legally Brunette podcast. Each week we're bringing you true crime

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

through a legal lens.

[Advertisement Voice]

Whether you want all the facts on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie or you still need to wrap your head around the Diddy verdict. We're breaking it all down, step by step.

[Matt Jones]

And we're not just lawyers.

[Podcast Host / Announcer]

We're also husband and wife.

[Advertisement Voice]

It makes for some pretty entertaining episodes. Listen to Legally Brunette on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.